IN LOVING MEMORY OF
David Lee
Hoffman
June 3, 1951 – June 2, 2016
Obituary
David Lee "Dave" Hoffman, Pulaski, peacefully passed away at UPMC Shadyside Hospital, surrounded by his loving family, on Thursday, June 2, 2016, following an extended illness. He was one day shy of his 65th birthday.
Dave was born on Sunday, June 3, 1951, in Sharon, to Archie and Martha (Wellman) Hoffman. He was the oldest of four children. He grew up in Hermitage, where he spent his childhood playing outdoors and learning about the world at his father's knee.
He graduated from Hickory High School in 1969 and became a skilled and highly revered machinist, working at Joy Cone Company for over 30 years.
His interests were many and varied; he was also an entrepreneurial cabinet maker, wood worker, bass guitar player, and a fantastic storyteller. He excelled in all of these things, and was a celebrated artist in all that he did.
On October 2, 1976, he married the former Patricia Lynn "Patti" Guerino of Farrell. Together they raised two daughters. Dave was an unfailingly dedicated Dad and a lovingly devoted "Papa" to his five grandchildren. Dave used his many talents to enrich their lives by playing children's songs on his guitar (his favorites were "You Are My Sunshine" and "Little Red Caboose"), building model airplanes and robots, making arts and crafts, solving word puzzles, and creating wooden hand-carved jewelry boxes, benches, spinning tops, toy cars, and furniture. He loved taking them to the park, making up silly games, and cracking jokes. He did a spot-on Donald Duck impression that got a laugh every time. He took every opportunity to create memories that will be cherished forever. He loved these children more than anything in the world, and they loved him beyond measure.
Dave had a keen interest in history and spent many years researching his own genealogy, collecting antique tools, building his own hunting rifles, studying the French and Indian War, and surveying overturned corn fields for Native American arrowheads and artifacts.
He also had a great love of reading, traveling with his wife, visiting museums, enjoying German food and craft beer, and listening to Bluegrass music in the flat picking style. One of his favorite pastimes was solving the New York Times Crossword puzzle each day (he loved it even more with a cup of coffee and the occasional slice of peanut butter pie).
Dave was quite an accomplished pool player, and served as captain on several teams over the years in both Pennsylvania and Ohio. He counted the friends who he made there among his greatest treasures. He loved and adored them and considered them family.
In 2014, Dave published a creative nonfiction story in The Sharon Herald about his boat, "The Flying Perch," detailing memorable anecdotes from his childhood, particularly as they related to his close relationship with his beloved father as a tribute on Father's Day.
Dave is survived at home by Patricia, his loving wife and companion of nearly 40 years. He is also survived by his two daughters, Kristi Mentzer of Greenville, and Katie Thompson and her husband Eric, of Pittsburgh; five grandchildren, Rowan Kate Mentzer, Reagan Lee Thompson, Avery Violet Thompson, Paige Lucille Thompson, and Jack Peregrine Thompson. Additionally, he is survived by three sisters, Patricia Czerwinski and her husband Robert, of Cincinnati, Ohio, Carol Scholl and her husband Chester, of Hermitage, and Sandra Mente and her husband Remy, of Florissant, Missouri; many loving nieces and nephews; and many beloved friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a son, David Lee Hoffman Jr.
Funeral service and interment will be private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 320 Bilmar Dr., Pittsburgh, PA 16205.
Dave was born on Sunday, June 3, 1951, in Sharon, to Archie and Martha (Wellman) Hoffman. He was the oldest of four children. He grew up in Hermitage, where he spent his childhood playing outdoors and learning about the world at his father's knee.
He graduated from Hickory High School in 1969 and became a skilled and highly revered machinist, working at Joy Cone Company for over 30 years.
His interests were many and varied; he was also an entrepreneurial cabinet maker, wood worker, bass guitar player, and a fantastic storyteller. He excelled in all of these things, and was a celebrated artist in all that he did.
On October 2, 1976, he married the former Patricia Lynn "Patti" Guerino of Farrell. Together they raised two daughters. Dave was an unfailingly dedicated Dad and a lovingly devoted "Papa" to his five grandchildren. Dave used his many talents to enrich their lives by playing children's songs on his guitar (his favorites were "You Are My Sunshine" and "Little Red Caboose"), building model airplanes and robots, making arts and crafts, solving word puzzles, and creating wooden hand-carved jewelry boxes, benches, spinning tops, toy cars, and furniture. He loved taking them to the park, making up silly games, and cracking jokes. He did a spot-on Donald Duck impression that got a laugh every time. He took every opportunity to create memories that will be cherished forever. He loved these children more than anything in the world, and they loved him beyond measure.
Dave had a keen interest in history and spent many years researching his own genealogy, collecting antique tools, building his own hunting rifles, studying the French and Indian War, and surveying overturned corn fields for Native American arrowheads and artifacts.
He also had a great love of reading, traveling with his wife, visiting museums, enjoying German food and craft beer, and listening to Bluegrass music in the flat picking style. One of his favorite pastimes was solving the New York Times Crossword puzzle each day (he loved it even more with a cup of coffee and the occasional slice of peanut butter pie).
Dave was quite an accomplished pool player, and served as captain on several teams over the years in both Pennsylvania and Ohio. He counted the friends who he made there among his greatest treasures. He loved and adored them and considered them family.
In 2014, Dave published a creative nonfiction story in The Sharon Herald about his boat, "The Flying Perch," detailing memorable anecdotes from his childhood, particularly as they related to his close relationship with his beloved father as a tribute on Father's Day.
Dave is survived at home by Patricia, his loving wife and companion of nearly 40 years. He is also survived by his two daughters, Kristi Mentzer of Greenville, and Katie Thompson and her husband Eric, of Pittsburgh; five grandchildren, Rowan Kate Mentzer, Reagan Lee Thompson, Avery Violet Thompson, Paige Lucille Thompson, and Jack Peregrine Thompson. Additionally, he is survived by three sisters, Patricia Czerwinski and her husband Robert, of Cincinnati, Ohio, Carol Scholl and her husband Chester, of Hermitage, and Sandra Mente and her husband Remy, of Florissant, Missouri; many loving nieces and nephews; and many beloved friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a son, David Lee Hoffman Jr.
Funeral service and interment will be private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 320 Bilmar Dr., Pittsburgh, PA 16205.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of David Lee Hoffman, please visit our flower store.
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